Bag with attached handle



April 12, 1955 c. E. SCHULTE BAG WITH ATTACHED HANDLE 3 SheerQs-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1954 April 1955 c. E. SCHULTE 2,705,988

BAG WITH ATTACHED HANDLE Filed Feb. 1, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fzmw W Q'flmeeya April 12, 1955 c. E. SCHULTE BAG WITH ATTACHED HANDLE' 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 1, 1954 Unite f.

This invention relates to improvements in bags with attached carrying handles of the type disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 290,186, filed May 27, 1952. More particularly the invention relates to improvements in the carrying handle facilitating the assembly of the handle-mounting members in operational position.

In my above-mentioned co-pending application I have disclosed a shopping bag with a handle attached thereto in a manner which does not interfere with the opening of the bag. The bag was provided with a handle mounted on a mounting member afiixed to one side of the mouth of the bag and with independent hook members likewise mounted in the handle in freely rtatable relationship. These hook members cooperated with loops formed in a mounting member affixed to the opposite side of the mouth of the bag whereby the handle could be associated with the bag in operational relationship.

The above-described shopping bag has proved to be most effective and practical and definitely embodied the basic concept of the invention. However, it was found that it was rather awkward to assemble the hook members with the loops for the reason that the hooks were mounted in freely rotatable relationship with the handle. Thus, in disconnecting the hooks from the loops it was necessary to disengage the hooks manually, since this could not be accomplished by merely rotating the handle. Similarly in the engaging operation it was likewise necessary to independently grasp the hook members and position them for engagement with the loops.

It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a shopping bag handle attached to said bag but designed to facilitate the assembly of the hook members with the cooperating loops.

An object relating thereto is to provide the handles with means which will limit the free rotation of the hook members, thereby preventing them from being rotated excessively to the extent that they might become enmeshed in the handle mounting members. Moreover, said means afford shoulders so that upon simple rotation of the handle in one direction the hooks may be moved into position for ready engagement with the loops. Conversely the rotation in the other direction moves the hooks into position for ready disengagement from the loops.

Another object is to provide a shopping bag of the character described in which the hook members are positioned so that their free ends do not project outwardly, thereby eliminating the hazards attendant to sharp wire endswhich protrude outwardly.

Yet another object is to afford a modified hook member in which despite the outward facing of the hooks, no free ends protrude. A related object is to so form the hooks that segments thereof expedite the engagement and disengagement with the loops.

A further object is to simplify the construction of the handle member of the shopping bag. An object relating thereto is to provide an elongated slot formed through the handle within which may be positioned both of the wire members of the handle.

Still another object is to afford an improved shopping bag with attached handle of simple, inexpensive construction, yet sturdy and effective.

With the foregoing and other objects in view wh ch will appear as the description proceeds, the invention States Patent 0 consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advattiitages should be readily understood and apprecrate Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the details of construction of the handle members with the hooks and loops in operational position and also showing in dotted outline the hooks disassociated from the loops;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view of the handle portion;

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged fragmentary end view ofthe handle showing the same rotated to another position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of an end portion of the handle member;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the broken section line 55 in Fig. 2 of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of line 66 in Fig. 2 of the drawings and viewed in the direction indicated;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevational view of a modification of the handle construction;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the modification taken on the plane of line 8-8 in Fig. 7 of the drawings;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary View in perspective of an end portion of the handle modification illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating yet another embodiment of the hook members;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 10; and

Figs. 12, 13, and 14 are fragmentary side elevational views of the same hook embodiment at various stages of the engaging and disengaging operations.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally the pertinent portions of a shopping bag handle construction having a bag portion 12 which may be similar in construction to the bags disclosed in my aforementioned co-pending application. The bag 12 may be formed with an upper marginal edge 14 folded over to afford a hem 16 Within which may be positioned a pair of handle-mounting members 20 and 22 respectively. These mounting members may be of the general construction disclosed in my aforementioned copending application with the mounting member 20 bent to afford substantially vertical upstanding central segments 24 and 26 respectively. integrally formed therewith and positioned between said vertical segments 24 and 26 may be a horizontal segment 28 spaced above the top of the bag 12.

The other mounting member 22 may have its cen- Patented Apr. 12, 1955 formed longitudinally through a mid-portion of the cylinder as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The passage 36 may accommodate loosely therein in freely ro tatable relationship the wire segment 28 thereby mounting the handle cylinder 34 on the supporting member 20.

Threaded through the other handle passage 38 may be a length of wire indicated generally by reference numeral 40 and bent to afford a horizontal segment 42 disposed in freely rotatable relationship within the passage 38. Integrally formed at the ends of the horizontal segment 42 may be substantially vertical segments 44 and 46, one formed at each end respectively of the horizontal segment as shown in Figs. 1 and of the drawings.

These vertical segments 44 and 46 depend from the handle cylinder 34 and are bent at the ends to afford hook members 48 and 50 respectively. These hooks may be formed by doubling over the end segment, such as 52, of the wire 40 so that the end segment is disposed in a plane substantially parallel to, but spaced from, the vert1- cal segment 44. However, the plane of the end segment 52 is slightly inclined toward the plane of the vertical segment 44 thereby providing a narrowed passageway such as 54, the width of which is somewhat less than the diameter of the wire forming the loops and 32. The wire from which the hooks are formed should have a certain resiliency so that when it is desired to connect the hook with the loop, the loops must be forced through the narrow passageway 54 thereby spreading apart the segments 44 and 52 sufficiently to permit the loop to be forced therethrough. After the loop has passed the narrowed passageway 54, it is free to drop down until it abuts the arcuate portion of the hook member such as 48. The resiliency of the wire is sufiicient to induce the end segment 52 to reassume its normal position thereby insuring the retention of the loops 30 and 32 within the hook clamps 48 and 50 respectively.

It should be noted that the hook members 48 and 50 of the subject invention differ from the hook members disclosed in the co-pending application in that they are faced inwardly pointing toward the vertical segments 24 and 26 of the handle mounting member rather than out wardly pointing away therefrom. In this position the free ends of the hook members are protected or sheathed to a considerable extent. This eliminates the hazards heretofore experienced resulting from the free exposure of these wire ends.

Referring once more to my co-pending application, it will be noted that in the handle construction disclosed therein, both the mounting member and the hook member protruded from the ends of the handle cylinder in free unobstructed relationship so that they were free to rotate without limitation. For this reason, in associating or disassociating the hook members from the loops, it was necessary to grasp the hook members with one hand and the loops with the other in order to first position the hook members and then connect or disconnect them with the loops. It was found that this operation was rather awkward and sometimes inconvenient to the user.

To remedy the situation and facilitate the aforementioned operation, the ends of the handle cylinder 34 in the present shopping bag invention have been provided with unique means which afford shoulders to limit the free rotation of the wire segments. In this manner, by simply rotating the handle, the hook members 48 and 50 may be rotated to operational position with the loops 30 and 32 positioned adjacent the entering passageways.

54 of the hooks. A simple lifting motion is suflicient in most cases, especially when the bag is loaded, for the loops to be forced through the narrow passageways and into the hooks.

The above-mentioned structure is afforded by forming or undercutting the ends of the cylinder 34 as at 56 and 58 respectively, as shown in the several figures of the drawings. These undercut wedge-shaped segments afiord normally horizontal shoulders, such as 60 and 62, and normally vertical shoulders, such as 64 and 66 respectively. The horizontal shoulders 60 and 62 may be formed substantially tangentially with the ends of the passages 36 and 38, and the vertical shoulders 64 and 66 likewise communicate at their upper ends with the ends of the passages. These vertical and horizontal shoulders cooperate with the vertical segments 24, 26, 44 and 46 of the mounting member and hook member respectively to rotate the same to the desired plane or position,

In Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be noted that the handle cylinder 34 has been rotated through an arc of almost By reason thereof, the vertical segment 44 of the hook member 48, abutting the shoulder 66, has been rotated to a plane approaching the horizontal, thereby assisting in the disassociation of the hook members from the loops. Conversely, when it is desired to again connect the hooks with the loops, the handle cylinder 34 is rotated back through the path it had previously described. The vertical segment 44 of the hook member 48 thereby drops back into operational position with the loop 30 positioned at the mouth of the hook. The operator need then merely lift the loaded shopping bag to force the loop through the narrowed passageway 54 into association with the hook member 48.

In Figs. 7 through 9 inclusive of the drawings, there has been illustrated a modification of the handle cylinder described hereinabove. This modification is similar to the previously described embodiment with the exception that the construction has been somewhat simplified. Similar parts are designated by like numerals with the added suffix a.

In this embodiment a single elongated horizontally disposed slot or passage 70 has been substituted for the two spaced-apart handle passages 36 and 38 of the first described embodiment. In all other respects the handle cylinder 34a is similar to the handle cylinder 34 and its function and operation is likewise similar. However, the horizontal shoulders 60a and 62a merely comprise opposite sides of the single shoulder 72 which is formed adjacent the top edge of the slot '70. The central vertically disposed protruding handle segment 74 affords the vertic-ally disposed shoulders 64a and 66a and likewise serves to separate and retain in proper position the vertical wire members 24a and 44a as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

The elongated, single-passage structure of this modification not only simplifies the construction of the handle cylinder 34a but also permits a greater freedom of lateral movement of both the mounting member and the hook member. This freedom of lateral movement is of material benefit, especially during the hooking and unhooking operations.

In Figs. 10 through 14 inclusive,'there is illustrated yet another modification but this time of the hook elements. In this embodiment the hook elements are so designed as to eliminate free wire ends entirely. Moreover, the hook is designed with segments which guide the loop members and assist in engaging and disengaging the books from the loops. Similar parts are designated by like numerals with the added suffix b.

In this embodiment the end portions of each of the vertical segments 44b and 46b of the wire from which the hook elements 48b and 50b are formed, are bent at a mid-point such as 80 about a radius and in an arc of substantially 180, thereby affording a segment such as 84 which is spaced from, but parallel to, the vertical segments 44b and 46b respectively.

The wire is then bent outwardly in an inclined plane, as at 86, to afford an outwardly inclined segment 88. The wire is then once more bent inwardly to afford an inwardly inclined segment such as 90. At 92 the wire may then be bent acutely downwardly so that a segment such as 94 is afforded which is inclined inwardly towards the vertical segments 44b and 4611 respectively until a point, such as 96, is reached. At this point the wire is once more bent outwardly to afford an outwardly inclined segment such as 98 until the end of the wire 100 abuts the inclined segment 88 at a point adjacent the bend 86.

It will be noted from the several figures of the drawings that by virtue of the specific construction described hereinabove, the wire end 100 is positioned in such a manner that it does not protrude. Furthermore, it will be noted that the inwardly inclined segment 94 and the outwardly inclined segment 98 converge at the point 96 to afford a narrowed passageway 102, the width of which is again somewhat less than the diameter of the wire forming the loops 30b and 32b. Thus, it will be noted in Fig. 13 of the drawings that in order for the loop 30b to pass through the narrowed passageway 102, it must force the shaped portion of the hook 48b outwardly sufficiently to permit its passing through this passageway. After it has passed therethrough, the resilient wire returns to its natural state as shown in Figs. 12 and 14 of the drawings.

As further noted in Fig. 14 of the drawings, it will be observed that the inclined segment 94 assists in guiding the loop 3% into engagement with the hook 48b. Conversely, the inclined segment 98 assists in guiding the loop out of engagement with the hook as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. Thus, a simple counterclockwise rotation of the handle member 34b moves the hook members to a position where the loops 30b and 32b abut the upper end of the inclined segment 94. They are then guided thereby until they rest just above the restricted passageway 102. A simple upward jerk or lifting motion is then sufiicient to force the loop through the narrowed passageway, as described hereinabove, until the sarirgig is brought to rest at the bottom of the book, as at Conversely, when it is desired to disengage the hooks, the sequence of operations is reversed. The loop is guided by the inclined segment 98 until it abuts the bottom of the narrowed passageway 102. The handle is then pressed down until the loop is forced through the narrowed passageway. At this point clockwise rotation 8f the handle disengages the loops entirely from the ooks.

From the foregoing description it should be apparent that I have provided an improved shopping bag with attached handle by means of which the operational assembly and disassembly of the hooking members of the bag are greatly facilitated. This improvement substantially cures the only fault found to date with the shopping bag and attached handle which comprised the subject matter of my aforementioned co-pending application. I have further improved the hook members and positioned them in such a way that the protruding wire ends no longer present a hazard to the user. In effect, the ends have been sheathed or protected against open exposure. I have likewise provided hook segments which assist in facilitating the engagement and disengagement of the hooks and loops to an extent whereby the operations may be readily performed by a simple rotation of the handle. I have further improved the construction of the handle portion by simplifying the same and at the same time affording greater freedom of lateral movement to the mounting member and hook member, thereby still further facilitating the assembly and disassembly of the hook members with the cooperating loops.

' It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a portable receptacle of the character described, a container open at the top, a handle rotatably mounted on a mounting member affixed to said container, a hook member rotatably mounted in said handle, said hook member comprising a horizontal length of wire threaded through said handle with the end portions of said wire bent at right angles thereto and having hooks formed at the ends thereof, a pair of up-standing loops afl'ixed to said container and adapted to cooperate with saidhooks, the ends of said handle formed with a plurality of shoulders adapted to abut the end portions of said hook member thereby rotating said hook member when the handle is rotated.

2. The receptacle of claim 1 in which said hooks face inwardly towards the center of the receptacle.

3. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a wire mounting member having a central off-set horizontal segmentspaced above the top edge of the bag, a cylindrical handle formed with at least one passage therethrough, said horizontal segment positioned in said passage, a wire hook member having a horizontal mid-segment rotatably positioned in said passage, the end portions of said wire hook member bent to aiford segments positioned in planes substantially perpendicular to that of said mid-segment with hooks formed at the ends of said latter-mentioned segments and upstanding loops aflixed to said bag and adapted to cooperate with said hooks; the improvement comprising end portions of said handle each formed with a pair of undercut sectors, each sector defined by a vertical and horizontal shoulder extending from the end of said passage to the outer edge of the handle, at least one of each of said vertical shoulders adapted to abut the perpendicularly bent segments of said hook members upon rotation of said handle.

4. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a pair of wire members afiixed to opposite sides of a bag, said wire members having mid-portions off-set to afford horizontal segments spaced from the top of the bag and one of said wire members formed in two parts with hooks formed at the ends of one of said parts; the improvement herein comprising a tubular handle with a pair of spaced apart passages formed therethrough, said horizontal segments of the wire members rotatably positioned one in each of said passages, each of the ends of said handle formed with wedge shaped cut-out portions, each cut-out portion affording shoulders disposed in planes substantially perpendicular to each other and extending from the outer edge of the handle to the ends of said passages.

- 5. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a pair of wire members afiixed to opposite sides of a bag, said wire members having midportions off-set to afford horizontal segments spaced from the top of the bag and one of said wire members formed in two parts with hooks formed at the ends of one of said parts; the improvement herein comprising a tubular handle with a passage formed therethrough, said horizontal segments of the wire members rotatably positioned in said passage, each of the ends of said handle undercut to afford a horizontal shoulder and a pairwof spaced apart vertical shoulders, said shoulders extending from the outer edge of said handle to said passage.

6. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a pair of wire members afiixed to opposite sides of a bag, said wire members having mid-portions off-set to afford horizontal segments spaced from the top of the bag and one of said wire members formed in two parts with hooks formed at the ends of one of said parts; the improvement herein comprising a tubular handle with a pair of spaced apart passages formed therethrough, said horizontal segments of the wire members rotatably positioned one in each of said passages, each of the ends of said handle formed with outwardly protruding portions affording horizontal and vertical shoulders, said handle rotatable to bring one or the other of said shoulders into abutment with said hookbearing wire member.

7. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a wire mounting member having a central off-set horizontal segment spaced above the top edge of the bag and a cylindrical handle formed with at least one passage therethrough, said horizontal segment positioned in said passage; a wire hook member having a horizontal mid-section segment rotatably positioned in said passage, the end portions of said wire hook member bent to afford segments positioned in planes substantially perpendicular to that of said mid-segment, the end portions of said latter-mentioned segments bent to afford hooks, the end portions of said hooks again bent until the extreme ends thereof abut adjacent segments of said hooks.

8. The shopping bag of claim 7 in which each of the last-mentioned end portions are bent through an arc of substantially about a radius to afford a segment disposed in the same plane as said hooks but spaced therefrom, said last-mentioned segments then bent to afford at least a pair of inclined segments converging toward said hooks and affording restricted passages therebetween.

9. In a portable receptacle of the character described,

a container open at the top, a handle rotatably mountedv on a mounting member affixed to said container, a hook member rotatably mounted in said handle, said hook member comprising a horizontal length of wire threaded through said handle with the end portions of said wire bent at right angles thereto and having hooks formed at the ends thereof, a pair of up-standing loops aflixed to said container and adapted to cooperate with said hooks, the ends of said handle formed with a plurality of shoulders adapted to abut the end portions of said hook member thereby rotating said hook memberwhen the handle is rotated, each of said hooks having the ends thereof bent into a diamond-shape with the exgenie ends thereof abutting adjacent segments of said 10. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a pair of wire members having mid-portions off-set to afford horizontal segments spaced from the top of the bag and one of said wire members formed in two parts with hooks formed at the ends of one of said parts; the improvement herein comprising a tubular handle with a pair of spaced apart passages formed therethrough, said horizontal segments of the wire members rotatably positioned one in each of said passages; the ends of said handle formed with a plurality of shoulders adapted to abut the end portions of one part of said wire member thereby rotating said latter-mentioned part into engagement with the other part when the handle is rotated.

11. In a shopping bag with attached handle of the character described including a pair of wire members aflixed to opposite sides of a bag, said wire members having mid-portions ofi-set to afford horizontal segments spaced from the top of the bag and one of said wire members formed in two parts with hooks formed at the ends of one of said parts; the improvement herein comprising a tubular handle with at least one passage formed therethrough, said horizontal segments of the wire members rotatably positioned in said passage; the ends of said handle formed with a plurality of shoulders adapted to abut the end portions of one part of said Wire member thereby rotating said latter-mentioned part into engagement with the other part when the handle is rotated.

12. in a portable open-top receptacle of the character described, a pair of stiff mounting members affixed to said receptacle, a tubular handle rotatably mounted on said mounting members, one of said mounting members having hooksforrned therein, each of the ends of said handle formed with outwardly protruding portions afiording horizontal and vertical shoulders, said handle rotatable to bring one or the other of said shoulders into abutment with said hook-bearing mounting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

